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Outlaws driver Danny Lasoski makes rare appearance at Placerville and Wiesz still wins
Brown and Tilford repeat in stock car divisions on “Morrison Concrete Kids Night”
by Bill Sullivan

Saturday, August 16, 2008 Results
Qualifying Pacific Sprints Pro Stocks Pure Stocks

Danny Lasoski lends a hand, by throwing the green flags for the annual kid's bike races. JPM Photo by Steve Lamothe

Lasoski was driving for the Oregon based Doyle’s Harley Davidson Screaming Eagle #1 Sprint Car team for the evening. The team is gearing for the upcoming Gold Cup Race of Champions in Chico and Lasoski is the hired wheelman for the high profile race, the largest in California. This Saturday, the driver known by his nickname of “The Dude” strolled into Placerville Speedway like a modern day outlaw, with many surprised faces in the pit area and the grandstands.

Three divisions were on hand Saturday night which featured a paycheck of $2000 to the winner, courtesy of Foresthill based Morrison Concrete, who added a $500 bonus to the regular payout for the sprint cars and sponsored the annual kid’s night, providing a new BMX Bicycle for a raffle and participating in the festivities. Kids night is always special, but on this given night it offered a bit more as Lasoski proudly participated in the event, waving the green flag for each kids race while Tyler Walker of Los Angeles, a former World of Outlaw himself waved the checkered flag. Following the half time events, Lasoski, a driver who has raced at hundreds of different tracks across the nation and makes a living racing sprint cars, commented on his love for small town tracks and events such as Kid’s Night.

“This is great, it is a pleasure to be part of this here tonight,” said Lasoski, currently 20th in the World of Outlaws point standings. “This is what our sport is all about, it’s about small towns and tracks like this on Saturdaynight.and most importantly, it’s about the kids.This is what our sport was built on and it’s important to always remember that. I really had a great time doing this tonight.”

After winning his heat race hands down, Lasoski looked destined for a victory in the 25-lap feature event. After racing wheel to wheel with Placerville’s point leader Colby Wiesz of Colfax early in the race, Lasoski broke away to a lead of several car lengths on a track that was extremely dry and unfavorable for the final night as extensive changes to the surface are forthcoming this week. While many drivers were sliding and spinning, Lasoski and Wiesz had their game on running strong out in front before a crowd that was elated to see a big name at their track, but at the same time routing for the hometown hero to take the cake.

With 19 laps down, a yellow flag forced a single file restart. As Lasoski accelerated out of the fourth turn the crowd rose to its feet when his right rear tire exploded and jerked the car to the high side of the track where he parked it as Wiesz took the lead in a classic “this is my town” fashion. Lasoski retired to the pit area while Wiesz went on to win the race over Kyle Hirst, Scott Russell, C.J. Humphreys and Walker.

Pacific Sprints Point leader, Colby Wiesz wins a race of a lifetime. JPM Photo by Donna Peter

“This was the race of a lifetime here tonight,” said Wiesz. “To be out here on my home track running with someone like Danny Lasoski, he is the best of the best and I was thrilled to be running second to him. I’m not really sure what happened, I saw his exhaust really heating up on that yellow and I think it melted his tire, it just exploded when we went green. I have to thank John Taylor and this whole team for a great car tonight, this track was tough and they had the car ready for it like they always do.”

Although he wasn’t victory lane, Lasoski was humble in the pit area and was greeted by hundreds of fans and youngsters, all trying to get an autograph from the driver they never expected here and may not see again for years to come.

“I tried to win one here, it just didn’t happen tonight,” said Lasoski, smiling as he signed autographed photos. “Something went through the side wall of the tire, I am not too sure what it was but we were having a good run up until then. Running small bullring tracks like this are always fun and we’re looking forward to the Gold Cup now.”

In the wake of Lasoki’s appearance, this coming Saturday, August 23, Sammy Swindle of Bartlett, TN will be in competition at Placerville Speedway. Like Lasoski, Swindle is also in California, preparing for the upcoming big race.

In the Pro Stock division on Saturday night, Nevada City driver Dan Brown Jr. continued his winning ways. Brown won his 13th feature event of the season and now holds the record for the most wins in one season at Placerville Speedway.

At the start of the race Brown was deep I the field, lining up on the outside of the fourth row. With the waving of the green flag Dennis Armstrong of El Dorado took the early lead and maintained it for tow laps until Placerville’s Forryst Carnett muscled past him on the back stretch to steal the lead. Meanwhile, Brown was slicing and dicing his way through the field. After a yellow flag flew for a spinning Tom Arbogast on the sixth lap, Brown was already up to the third position, sitting behind Jason Armstrong who started fourth and had charged up two positions in the early laps.

On the restart Carnett pulled ahead while Armstrong and Brown dueled for second place. Nine laps into the event, Brown moved into second place and set his sights on Carnett for the lead. One lap later Carnett lost traction in the fourth turn and slid sideway in front of Brown who braked but still made contact with the spinning leader and took the lead. Brown went on to win the race and is expected to lock the season championship one week early next Saturday. Arbogast charged back to second place followed by Jason Armstrong and Matt Davis.

“This is pretty cool to have the new record for the most wins in a season,” said Brown. “Next week I hope to lock this championship which something we set out to do and then I am looking for a ride in something since I won’t be in this car next year. I have to thank my family and crew for all their hard work all this year.”

In the Pure Stock division, Tom Tilford of Citrus Heights drove to his ninth win of the season in 11 starts. Tilford had the prime starting position on his night, starting on the pole of the 20 lap affair.

At the waving of the green flag, Tilford muscled ahead of the field and a battle developed between Scott Grunert of Woodland and Kris Wirth of Pollock Pines for the second place. This side by side battle lasted the entire 20-laps of the race and the two kept fans on the edge of their seats and Tilford cruised his way to a distant lead

At the finish line it was Tilford picking up the win followed by Grunert, Wirth, Clarence Holbrook III and Rick Grunert.

“I had a great starting spot tonight that’s for sure,” said Tilford. “I thinks that’s the big story here tonight since that’s the first time all year we have drawn such a good pill. It seems like I have had to work my way through the field every night we’ve won here. The track was really dry and slick tonight you had to be careful but it was still very fast.”

In the coming week, John Padjen Motorsports will be working to improve the challenging dry surface at Placerville Speedway as they prepare for the second to last point race of the year next Saturday, August 23rd. Four divisions of racing will be on hand and further information can be found at www.johnpadjenmotorsports.com.